Downtown Dennison hosting holiday kickoff this weekend
DENNISON (WJER) (Nov. 25, 2022) – Mayor Greg DiDonato is expecting a big turnout for Sunday’s holiday lighting event and downtown cruise-in.
He says they’re more prepared for the event’s second installment that evening from 5 to 7:30 after underestimating the popularity of the first one last year.
“The first year, we were kind of taken back at the huge success and the attendance. And we were stunned by the amount of cars, so we worked on the traffic pattern. We basically making it one-way. You’ll come in and turn left on Grant Street and you will circle the eight blocks and we will have people at each intersection to direct that.”
DiDonato says it’s an opportunity to stroll or drive through the downtown taking in the sights and sounds of the season.
“In the 200-block of Grant Street, we have Santa and Mrs. Santa and we have 14 elves… We also have a Grinch that will be visiting us. There will be a couple of hot chocolate stands and cookies will be handed out… We have a calliope coming that just strictly plays Christmas music. It’s a moveable one so we will be taking that around where needed to play the music, and then we also have some choirs that’ll be there as well.”
There will also be free trackless train rides and a live nativity scene in front of Immaculate Conception School. DiDonato says they’re trying to build on the excitement surrounding the Dennison Depot’s Polar Express train rides that draw thousands of visitors to the village each December.